Sunday, February 1, 2015

Traditional Teachings are Often Not Truth

Contributed by Ed MooreWe have been taught to much false doctrine and tradition of man. We are told the law has been abolished, even though YAHusha said in Matt. 5, that until heaven and earth pass away,not a jot or tittle would pass from the law until all things be fulfilled. The last time I checked, heaven and earth were still here. We are told we are now allowed to eat unclean food. What makes a buzzard now clean and edible? It is still filthy and so is swine’s flesh. He said He was the same yesterday today and forever what changed?

Read againIsaiah 66:17 in it’s context and see if eating swine’s flesh is OK with YHUH. We are also told we don’t have to keep the Sabbath anymore, even though most preachers agree that the Ten Commandments are still binding upon us today. They say it doesn’t matter which day you keep as long as you keep one of them as your Sabbath. They have no scriptural evidence whatsoever to justify a change from the Sabbath to Sunday. They have rejected YHUH’s required Feasts and have substituted pagan festivals in their place, i.e. Christmas and Easter.

Do you suppose YHUH is in agreement with this? Are we trying to come to Him in our own way? Are we offering strange fire up to Him? The bible says there is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end there of is destruction. People, repent!! And turn back to the right way,the strait and narrow path before it’s too late! Don’t follow the majority; they’re on the wrong path!! Matt. 7:14 says “few there be that find it”. Few are certainly not the majority. They’re perverting YHUH’s grace.

******************In His instructions to Moses and Israel detailing the Passover and Feast thatfollows, Yahweh made it crystal clear that this was not a one-time ordeal.Nor was it just for Israel at that time. Yahuah thundered, "And this dayshall be unto you for a memorial; and you shall keep it a feast to Yahuahthroughout your generations; you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever" (Ex. 12:14).

No fewer than four times in Leviticus 23--after mentioning the variousFeasts--Yahuah declares the Feasts "a statute forever." If these days wereimportant only in the lives of ancient Israelites, then why do we find themprominent in prophecy of the coming Kingdom? Isaiah deals with the MillennialKingdom. We find there that when His Kingdom comes to earth, everyone willcome to keep Yahuah's appointed times: "And it shall come to pass, that fromone new moon to another, and from Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come toworship before me, says Yahuah" (Isa. 66:23).

And what if they refuse, as many do today? "And it shall come to pass, thatevery one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shalleven go up from year to year to worship the King, Yahuah of hosts, and tokeep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come upof all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, Yahuahof hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go notup, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewithYahuah will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast oftabernacles" (Zech. 14:16-18).

Does it make any sense that Yahuah would command these Feasts forever--and enforce them in the future Millennial Kingdom on pain of plague--and not have them binding today?

The Feast days hold a wealth of lessons and they unlock important truth. They also are keys to prophetic events as they explain the plan and purpose of the Savior’s coming and His role as our King. It is time for all people everywhere to be obedient to what Yahuah established for the good of His people. Get in line with the annual Feasts of Yahuah and your understanding will multiply many times over.

His Feasts were just as much a part of His law as the Ten Commandments. Let us be like the Apostle Paul, who said, "I must by all means keep this feast."

*************"These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew:15:8, 9).

What days are not commanded by our Savior? And which ones does He command? What does His example of obedience to the Father reveal (John:15:10)? Does it please YHUH when we take to ourselves the right to decide how to worship Him, while bypassing His example and the instructions of the Bible?

We have all been instructed to walk as He walked (1 John:2:6).

It is certainly clear that the Messiah did not observe Christmas, Halloween, Easter or any similar days. Instead, He and His family observed the Holy Days given by YHUH in the Bible. "His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast" (Luke:2:41, 42). This included the entire festival, which involved the Days of Unleavened Bread (Luke:2:43; Leviticus:23:5-8).

Later, we find Yahusha Messiah still observing this same festival. "Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Yahusha went up to Jerusalem" (John:2:13). It is called the Passover of the Jews because the Jews observed it; whereas Gentiles did not. In reality, YHUH gave all the Holy Days as His days, saying "These are My feasts" (Leviticus:23:2).

A little after this, in John:5:1 we see Yahusha' involvement in another of the biblical feasts, although John didn't specify which. Then, in John 7, He is shown keeping the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day (described in Leviticus:23:33-36): "After these things Yahusha walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand" (John:7:1, 2).

In spite of the threat of bodily harm, Yahusha the Messiah still attended this feast (verse 10), and also explained the true spiritual significance of the Last Great Day (verses 37, 38).

************This is a question that is often asked. Why should an English speaking person call on the Hebrew names of Yahuah and Yahusha?

The answer is actually quite simple. Personal names do not translate across languages. For instance, Ariel Sharon is still Ariel Sharon in any country or language. Personal names do not translate, they transliterate. In other words, they retain the pronunciation as much as possible. Even so, "The LORD" is not a translation of the name "Yahweh". It is a direct replacement. Put simply, the translators admit they substituted Yahweh's name for a title. All for the sake of an unscriptural tradition. Yahweh's name is in scripture nearly 7000 times. And nearly 7000 times they replaced it (not translated it) with "the LORD", or "GOD". I wouldn't want someone to change my name unless it was Yahweh. And it is clear that according to the third commandment that Yahweh doesn't want anyone to change or falsify His name either.

Think about this for a moment. What makes man think he has the authority to change the name of the one who created him, and who created all things? We don't have that right! For instance, in the scriptures we see that one who changes the name of another is always in authority over them. Yahusha renamed Simon. Yahuah renamed Abram to Abraham. Adam named the animals. We have no authority to rename our Heavenly Father or His Messiah Yahusha. We need to be sure we leave things as He inspired it.

Also consider this: If you don't speak Hebrew then you can't say Abraham, Isaac, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Obadiah, Zechariah, Michael or a long list of other Hebrew names! Why was Yahweh's name the only one changed? And why was Yahushua's Name the only name in our modern bibles that is different from the Old Testament to the New Testament? In the Old Testament, it's "Joshua" but in the New Testament it's "Jesus". The answer is simple. Satan will do anything to turn men from the truth. Yahweh's Name IS truth. Yahushua's Name IS truth. Substitutions are lies. You see, Father Yahweh is seeking those who worship Him in spirit and in truth. And when we call Him by a false name, then we are worshipping Him in lies and not truth. If we know that "the Lord" and "Jesus" are false, why continue in error?? Aren't we supposed to love the truth?

But maybe you are thinking, "Okay so do you have any scriptures that show that Gentiles should be calling on His name?" I am glad you asked....

Malachi 1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen (Heb. Gentiles), saith Yahweh of hosts.

Acts 9:15 But the Master said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

Acts 15:14 Simeon hath declared how Elohim at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.